Classroom motivation is a constant thought hanging over my head. When I think about all the different students with their different abilities, coming from diverse background, bilingual homes, and ranging in the socio-economic scale my mind is adrift with how to reach them all. I would love to impact each student in a certain way; to give them encouragement to become life long learners, while taking away knowledge in my classroom. And to have them grow into themselves would be another wonderful achievement. But how!?
On a case to case basis I could sit and chat with an unmotivated student to figure out what I can do to help, but for the most part the way I would create a motivating classroom would be by doing two main things. In English classrooms collaboration is a positive instructional strategy. By having student focus their attention on a big-picture ideals and communication between group members while having to do their fair share of the work they are learning interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and interdependence. Plus, the attention is not on how well students are doing compared to others—competition—but instead the students are working together to understand a concept, rule, or fact while getting it the assignment finished.
Another way to create a motivating classroom is by having a positive attitude toward my students. Staying positive, enthusiastic, supportive, and warm are all attributes that help students stay motivated. When teachers are all these things then students feel like they are being supported and in-turn they are more likely to feel successful and want to continue the positive pattern. These two motivational strategies create a classroom, which might be “all over the board” due to differences in ability, race, religion, etc., that will be a more comfortable place for the student– a necessity for student achievement.
Stacey Barber's bPortfolio 